Saint Publius (Maltese: San Publju) is a first century MalteseSaint. He is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta. St. Publius is Malta‘s first acknowledged saint, the prince of the island (Maltese: il-prinċep tal-gżira). According to Maltese Pauline Mythology, Publius' conversion led to Malta being the first Christian nation in the West. His feast day is celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, of which traditions related and the day of celebration differ.

"In the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to a man named Publius, the chief of the island. He welcomed us and received us cordially as his guests for three days. It so happened that the father of Publius was sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, after praying, laid his hands on him and healed him. After this had taken place, the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul and were cured. They paid us great honor and when we eventually set sail they brought us the provisions we needed." - Acts 28:7-10, New American Bible

Apart from being patron saint of Floriana, St Publius is also one of the two patron saints of Malta beside St Paul. He was martyred c. 125, during the persecution of Emperor Hadrian, and canonised in the year 1634

Contemporary historians, such as Professor Godfrey Wettinger, have made it clear that there is no physical proof that St Paul ever was in Malta, other than in pseudo-Maltese history dating from the 11th to the 18th centuries. It is also well established that early Christianity was of the Orthodox tradition and that the island was conquered by the Muslims between 870 and 1091, during which period it also spent years uninhabited; meaning Christianity in Malta is not rooted on St Publius and St Paul as it is not of continuous tradition. The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 28 verse one does specifically mention Malta in connexion with Paul's voyage and shipwreck, however Pauline Mythology commonly presented as historical 'fact' in Malta, is rooted in religious views, specifically that of the Roman Catholic Church which is very powerful on the island. It is held that St Publius converted to Christianity after being 'cured' by St Paul, however the Bible does not mention that St Publius ever converted.[5][6]

^"+ c 112. Tradition identifies this saint with Publius, 'chief man of the island of Malta', who befriended St Paul after his shipwreck (Acts 28:7). He became the first Bishop of Malta and later Bishop of Athens, being martyred under Trajan."[1]

^"At Athens, the birthday of St. Publius, bishop, who, as successor of St. Denis the Areopagite, nobly governed the Church of Athens. No less celebrated for the lustre of his virtues than for the brilliancy of his learning, he was gloriously crowned for having borne testimony to Christ."[4]

^ abThe Roman Martyrology. Transl. by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Last Edition, According to the Copy Printed at Rome in 1914. Revised Edition, with the Imprimatur of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, 1916. pp.21-22.

The Roman Martyrology. Transl. by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Last Edition, According to the Copy Printed at Rome in 1914. Revised Edition, with the Imprimatur of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, 1916. p. 7.